Subutex is a brand name for a medication containing the active ingredient buprenorphine. It's primarily used in the treatment of opioid dependence, particularly in the management of opioid withdrawal symptoms and as a maintenance therapy to prevent relapse.

Buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Subutex, is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to the same receptors in the brain as opioids but produces weaker effects. This property helps to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings without causing the intense euphoria or "high" associated with full opioid agonists like heroin or oxycodone.